Friction-clutch.



a UNITED STA ES PATENT vonrron JOHN LAIDLAW AND JAMES WRIGHT MAGFARLANE, or GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

FRICTION-CLUTCH,

Kai-832,984;

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented. Oct. 9, 1906.

Application use Mai-c112, 1906'. Serial 1%. 363,847.

' JAMES WRIGHT MAoFARLANE, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residents of Glasgow, Scotland, (whose postal addressis 98 Dundas street, Kingston, Glasgow, Scotland,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutches,

. of which the following is a specification.

rotary This invention'relates to friction-clutches the two members of the clutch is attained by "centrifugal force, and has for its object by combining with what may be termed the centrifugal member another clutch either of positive or frictional type to produce a simple and effective engaging and disengaging device easily put into operation without shock and equally easily withdrawn. This combination is designed with more particular reference to driving centrifugal machines directly by electric, motors, so as to permit of the motor running continuously, and the centrifugalmachine being connected thereto or disconnected therefrom when it is desired to start or stop thelatter; but it is also applicable for an other purpose where such a combination 0 clutch'es is of advanta e.

Eur invention has further for its object to arrange for adequate lubrication of both the motor and the centrifugal-machme spindle, while at the same time preventingthe possibility of the lubricant getting access to the fridtional surfaces of the clutch and rendering them ineffective, a matter very essential'to the practicability ofsuch a combination, more particularly in view-of the high .speedat which centrifugal machines are operated",

Since our invention consists, essentially,

in combining with any suitable known type of centrifugal clutch an additional (positive or frictional) clutch (which may also be of an suitable type) for throwing the centrifuga member into gear, it is obvious that its carrying into effect may be considerably varied; but in order that our invention and the manner of erforming the same may be properly un erstood we hereunto append an explanatory drawing, showing in sectional elevation an example of a clutch applied 1n the driving of a centrifugal machine by an electric motor. In this-example the drivingspindle 1that is, the shaft of the electric motor-carries one member 2 of an ordinary counterpart conical friction clutch. The

other member 3 of this clutch rides u on a sleeve 4, formed upon part of the housing of the machine. The member 3 is provided with a muff and stirrup-ring 5"for sliding it longitudinally upon the sleeve 4. Upon the outside of the member 3 there are formed four paws 6, which enter between four loose segmental centrifugal slipper-blocks 7, forming one member ofthe centrifugal clutch. The slipper-blocks 7 are carried within a drum 9, which has driving connection with the spindle 8 of thecentrifugal machine and which forms the second member of the centrifugal clutch. I

In operation (the motor spindle' 1 being continuously-driven) the two membersv 2-3 are brought into gear by longitudinal move ment 'of the member 3. Rotation of the member 3 is thereby started as radually as may be desired. Rotation of this member 3 causes in its turn the slipper-blocks? to be rotated within the drum 9, and the centrifugal force developed by their'rotation causes them to engage the inner surface of that drum, slowly starting its rotation, and so the rotation of the spindle 8, the efiect being cumulative and very gradual, so that V the starting of the spindle 8 is extremely radual and free from shock. The clutchrum 9 drives the spindle.8 through jaws 22 upon it engaging 111 s 23, formed upon the outside of the enlarge upper end of the spindle, and is held in position between the under side of that part and the top surface of a sleeve 24, forming part of the bearing of the spindle 8 of the centrifugal machine. Lubrication is provided for by the following improved arrangement of parts which permits of adequate lubrication of the spindles, while pre- (not s own) of the spindle 8.

Instead of the additional clutchthatis, the members 2 3being of the type shown any other convenient form of friction-clutch may be -.used, or instead of a friction-clutch any form of positive or jaw clutch may be used; but in this case the advantage of ver gradual'acceleration of the centrifugal clutc and of the spindle '8 is modified to what is obtained by the use of the centrifugalclutch alone.

Instead of the precise form of centrifugal clutch shown and described being used any other alternative form of centrifugal clutch may be used, the essential feature df the device being the combination, with a centrifugal clutch, of an additional clutch for throwing the centrifugal member of the centrifugal clutch into or out of gear.

It is clear that the improved clutch may be applied to purposes other than the driving of centrifugal machines.

What we claim is- 1. A clutch for connecting and disconnecting an intermittently-running shaft to or from a continuouslyerunning shaft and comprising cooperatingmembers forming a centrifugal clutch and both of which .members when the clutch is disengaged are discon nected from the continuously-running shaft and an additional clutch for connecting one of the centrifugal members tothe said shaft, and means for operating the clutch, as described.

2. A clutch for connecting and disconnecting an intermittently-running shaft to or from a continuously running shaft and comprising a centrifugal-.machine spindle, a drum affixed thereto, slipper-blocks loose within thedrum, an externally-conical memthe drum, a clutch member fixed onthe con-- tinuously-running shaft, a counterpart member ada ted to beengaged with the member on the atter shaft, paws on the counterpart member engaging the slipper-blocks and means for connecting and disconnecting the members, as described.

4. A clutch for connecting and-disconnecting an intermittently-running shaft to or from a continuously-running shaft and comprising a drum fixed to the intermittentlyrunning shaft, slipper-blocks loose within the drum, an externally-conical centrally-bossed member fixed on the continuously-running shaft, an internally-conical longitudinallymovable member embracing said member and shaft paws on the movable member entering between the loose I slipper-blocks, means for engaging the movable conical member with its fixed bossed counterpart member, .a lubricant-retaining chamber in theupper part of the boss of the said member, a lubricant-duct from said chamber passing down through said boss, and a like lubricant chamber and duct formed in the top of the intermittently-running shaft and into which lubricant is discharged from the,

first-mentioned chamber, as described.

in testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN LAIDLAW. JAMES WRIGHT MACFARLANE, Witnesses:

JAMES EAGLESOM, FRED. MIDDLETON.

presence of 

